[Sangetsu]

English schools are still hiring in Japan. The numbers of positions are less than they were a couple of years ago, but there are still many available.

As MMM said, the turnover rate for teachers is rather high. Most English teachers are recent college grads who come to Japan to experience living overseas for a time. 90% will return home after one year, meaning that their position will have to be filled by a new person. Perhaps 20% do not make it through the full year. They either become homesick, or simply do not like living in Japan (the reality is often much different from the expectation).

The two best times to apply for teaching positions are in early summer, and winter. At these times schools interview/hire teachers for the spring and fall semesters. Eikaiawa schools also hire most new teachers at these times as this is when enrollments are the highest.

The big schools receive thousands of applications, and hundreds are invited to interviews. Of these hundreds, quite a few never show up. Of the ones who do show up and participate in the interview process, less than half are actually hired.

It's not exactly easy to a job with a place like AEON or GEOS. You must travel to the interview at your own expense, and you will have to pay for your own ticket to Japan should you be hired. Depending on where you live, traveling to the interview and then on to Japan can cost a couple thousand dollars.

But, AEON and GEOS provide housing, and cover move-in costs, which makes getting set up in Japan much easier and less expensive. Other companies/schools don't necessarily offer housing assistance, and it may take a month or two before you begin receiving your pay, so you'll have pay move-in costs (which are high in Japan) and support yourself during that time.